


The Sorceress

by JeanAster



Category: Original Work
Genre: Adult Content, Adventure, Blood and Violence, Dark Magic, Developing Friendships, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Fantasy, Friendship, Magic, Necromancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-10 10:36:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14735375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JeanAster/pseuds/JeanAster
Summary: From early she was taught. “Do not go to other places, young sorceress. They'll hang thee or burn in a pyre. Crippled and abused you'll be.”“Why?” She had asked, for in solitude she was born. In darkness covered, and blood she was fed. “Is so bad what I am?”“You're a taint, a curse. The world will fear you. Hurt you. None will stand to protect thee. And a sorceress without a protector is harmless as a mouse, I tell you.”“This isn't fair.” She stomps the foot on the floor shaking the hut. “I never did anything to harm others. I feed on animals to never eat humans.”“They don't care or will.” The crone said. “Remain here, never to leave. You are safe with us.”





	The Sorceress

From early she was taught. “Do not go to other places, young sorceress. They'll hang thee or burn in a pyre. Crippled and abused you'll be.”

“Why?” She had asked, for in solitude she was born. In darkness covered, and blood she was fed. “Is so bad what I am?”

“You're a taint, a curse. The world will fear you. Hurt you. None will stand to protect thee. And a sorceress without a protector is harmless as a mouse, I tell you.”

“This isn't fair.” She stomps the foot on the floor shaking the hut. “I never did anything to harm others. I feed on animals to never eat humans.”

“They don't care or will.” The crone said. “Remain here, never to leave. You are safe with us.”

The wind lashed against the trees. The branches as living things bend to their master as leaves swirl. The seasons past, the winter frost the summer hot. She remained there. But the crone's madness was starting to develop, for she had plans to the young sorceress. The girl trained, alone. The Arkshan bog is where her home remained, for twenty years.

 

* * *

 

 

“You're a lady from the Aster Family,” The father told the girl with a wooden sword in hands. “I was cursed with a girl instead of a boy. But you will act as such. A lady.”

“I am not a lady!” She exclaimed as facing her father with fury in eyes. “I'll not do as you want; I am whoever I want to be.”

“Wrong,” he slapped her face. “You're a girl in age. So I asked the Baron to bring his sons. One of them will be your suitor. Our family will share bonds, and all Rivertea will know this.”

The glare she gave was to shudder even the toughest of the thug. She cursed him storming away. The guard moved to follow her.

“Let her be,” he ordered. “She has no escape from her fate. Bring me her Nana. The old hag's probably responsible. Lash her twenty times in front of my daughter as punishment.”

Each time the whip hit it drew blood from the bareback. The old Nana appealed them to stop. But not for her. She begged to not force the girl she rose as her own to a fate she didn't want.

“You monster!” She shouted as guards held her by the arms. “How can you do such thing?”

“I can't hurt you for you're my daughter, and you must show no marks when you sleep with your future husband. She's suffering from your transgressions.”

“I hate you!”

Her father glanced as a frosted winter to her then to the old Nana. “Increase to forty lashes.”

“No! You'll be going to kill her.”

Thus, it happened. After the last whip, the old woman she cherished as a mother she never had could hardly breathe. The back opened, sliced and bleeding, yet her gentle eyes glanced at the girl one last time. And from her lips the last words she would never forget. “Be free.”

“Take her to her room, lock the doors,” her father commanded. “She'll be there until the suitors arise, only I can enter, none else allowed.”

The guards took her by the wrist pulling her back upstairs. The room gray as it was, had no life anymore. Her eyes were once as the sun. Now the red moon shone on them. A dangerous color for such young age. 

 

* * *

 

 

“Madeline!” The crone called. “Where're you? Madeline!”

The swamp, her home as a prison. The trees magically would always bring her back, not allowing her to step outside as not allowing strangers to step inside. A friend she had. A longbog. He was deformed as a fetus grow and devilish. However, he was the only friend she ever had. In there was harsh, monster and creatures, specters and demons. The bog's cursed. The word had spread, many tried to venture in, none returned to tell what lived deep inside.

“Collin!” She yelled. “Come out and play.”

She heard no answer. She frowned hurling a spell on the tree where he lived. “Collin! I am bored. Come now and play. Or I shall burn your house down.” 

Again, no answer and she'd decided to increase the threat. A flame red as blood serpented her left arm. She tended to take her friend out to play, or he should perish. But if he perished, which friend should play with her? The crone never played. Always muttering, painting those etchings in her room. Before the thoughts grew inside her, she heard the crone calling.

She snorted for she had forgotten the feeding time, and the studying as well.

The crone grinned a toothless smile seeing the young sorceress she raised. The now a woman was indeed a beauty to behold. The hairs never once cut nearly touched the ground. The nakedness barely hidden behind a rag left exposed a curvaceous body and breasts perfectly hand sized. The skin of bronze from a foreigner. The face structure fitted to a noble queen. But it was the eyes the crone proud the most. Ashen as if the world the girl saw behind those globes had no colors in it.

“Where are you and why didn't you answer when called?”

“I was searching Collin to play with me. I wanted to do something before the lessons.”

“Useless, that one, you should stop wasting time. Just focus on getting stronger. Now, eat.”

She saw the table outside the hut. There were the usual legs and blood. Animals, she guessed. Once she told the crone. _'I don't want to eat human flesh for I'm no monster.'_ The crone laughed and snickered. _'You are a monster, young sorceress. If not now, one day you will embrace your nature.'_

As she ate and drank, her muscles relaxed, the head fizzled, blurred eyes, and heavy mind. “Crone, what's happening? I feel fuzzy.”

“Today you do twenty-five,” the crone rose from her sit. “For long years I've waited, and now you're in the perfect shape. Be it strength or beauty you have no equals amongst us.”

“I don't understand.”

“You have not to,” said the crone waving her stick fingers. “Sleep now, for the ritual is to begin.” 

 

* * *

 

 

The heavens cried for her loss. The tears flooded the garden, and the shouts ripped the trees. In her room, she waited. Glancing the wall's etchings as the sudden flashes every time anew startled her. She walked lifelessly in her eyes and harshness in the face. Years she spent training in hiding, one lesson at the time. One instructor, sometimes another. Her Nana had accompanied her when stepping out of the cage she lived. She who read and taught her about the wonders of the world. Now she was gone, and no other reason to remain. But not without first taking the toll, for the responsible yet had to pay.

She knocked the door. “I need to leave,” she said that to the guards she knew where on the other side.

“Not gonna happen, m'lady.” Came the answer in a deep voice.

“Then, tell my father I need to speak to him.”

“I'll inform the lord. Ye stay put here.” Another voice said as steps she heard.

She quickly glanced the room. A dagger under her pillow, and a saber under the bed. She prepared everything, she wore a shirt chest half open and leather pants. The kind made her seem boyish. The exact same thing she was aware her father hated to the core. Using the shadows as covering she hide waiting as the door slowly opened.

“Isabela,” he called. “I hope you finally came to your senses.”

“Oh, I finally did... Father.” With the swift movement of a Lynx, she wrapped one arm around her father's neck and the other hand a dagger to his throat.

He tried for a second to move, to set himself free but he wasn't a warrior. A merchant his entire life he worked, as his father, and the father of his father.

“Stop this nonsense Isabela,” he ordered. “I am your Father.”

“You're a monster, a murderer and worse.” The rage in her voice as she spat what she so much wanted and the guards were unable to react. “Do you think is secret to me what you do to the servant girls?”

“They're servants, and slaves,” He struggled as an amount of blood dripped the shine dagger's blade. “All right, you lost your mind for an old hag. What do you want?”

Fear talks louder. Her Nana taught her that as well. No matter the pile of gold someone has when his life is in danger, they all shit themselves the same way.

“Firstly I want my mare saddled and ready for me to leave,” she commanded.

“Amidst this storm, and this hour? Have you gonna senile?”

“This is my problem, not yours.”

He ordered to the servants gathering to do as she commanded. As they walked past the hallway and near the stairs, her gaze never lost sight of the guards, or others servants. “Second, order the guards to lay down their weapons, or I swear I’ll gut you before they can scratch me.”

Thus he ordered, the guards backed away sheathing their swords. They also couldn't attack the lords' daughter unless he gave the order. The pour from the sky drenched them fast. The mare at the gate and saddled. A sack of ration was also in there. In her mind, she thanked who did so, for she had forgotten to ask for provisions. The shout from the sky muffled her father's yell.

“You're going to threw away a queen's life for a hag which was not worth even to fuck?”

“She was like a mother to me. She was the one who put me in bed as a child or sang when I asked. She took care of me when I sickened or got hurt. You've never once looked to me as someone worthy of praise. You raped and murdered people because you said they're properties.”

“And they are!” He struggled to shout. “They're less than you, or me. They exist solely to be used, and to discard when we tire off.”

“Well, Father, I'm tired from you my entire life.”

“Wait... No!-”

With many witnesses inside the gates, she cut his throat, the bleed spread dropping as the rain red on the ground. The body inertly fell as she gave one last glance before mounting. She may have not the wishes to kill him to gain her freedom. However, when a man pulls the strings of someone mournful the consequences may be severe. She then turned the back to the estate and without once looking back, she rode with the shout of the skies greeting her newly acquired freedom. 

 

* * *

 

 

The door opened, and hinges cracked. The pour from the sky loud sang with the howling wind. The crone rubbed hands together. She had waited too long for that day. That moment. _'An infant you say? Is she the one?'_  The girl's blood she tasted to assure if it was she. Inside the chest decrepit with the tits flat down to the belly her heartbeat increased. The forsaken gods' blood they brought her.  _'What's her name?'_  A question made inside her head.  _'A name? Why would she need a name?'_  She answered groaning.  _'She needs to grow stronger to feed and learn.'_  Again, a voice struck her head.  _'Prepare her body for years to come. She needs to endure the transformation. Copulation.'_

“The moon is right, the time welcoming. She's ready to breed and for you. I humbly say.” The old hut shuddered when she cut Madeline's wrist allowing the blood to flow free touching the enchanting circle on the floor.

“You did well.” The voice deep and cold echoed the room. “I can smell it, feel it. She's ready for me. I shall once more walk the land.”

“Look at her m'lord. She's the best of us all. Neither in this or another world such beauty would be found or raw power to be feed.”

“She's perfect indeed and mine she shall be.” From the circle, he rose. Hideous, the muscles exposed as a flayed man, the eyes hollowed. Vermin danced his open stomach and walked the ribs. He crawled to her, as she remained inert, laying in a bed tied with strong ropes. He sniffed her naked body, from the tits and down.

“M'lord, will you take her now?” The crone grinned.

“Yes, I will. For I am eager to return. Even the world welcomes me with this stormy darkness night.”

He laid over her. The dry tongue licked her face as the vermin crawled to her body. His hands pressed against her tits, pressing tight as he felt stiff and ready.

She opened eyes, ought of sheer instinct she shouted as he touched her lips and a red flame danced around her.

“It's amusing that you warmed us for our first time.” He said. “Now be quiet, and rejoice in the pleasure I shall give to you.”

As he touched her lower parts, a rock flew, blowing against his head. He wobbled cursing, shouting. The hut shook as if about to crumble. “Who dares to interrupt me.” He yelled.

Another rock pound against his head and one on the crone's chest.

“Come, M'laine...” Madeline glanced at the open door where Collin stood with two more rocks in hands. “Me save ya. Hurry.”

 She tried to grasp the situation as fast as she could.

“Collin, what's happening, what was that? And why you hit crone? We need to help her!” She shouted as branches tried to grab her. In her fear, the magic she fought to control was being set loose. The flames ablaze the swamp, the rain fell red as blood and the tress cried out.

“crone's bad!” Collin yelled. “She harm ya, said to Collin to leave ya.” With one single open red eye, he glanced at his only friend. Longbogs shared many things with this and the other world. A connection he had and much to witness. For to a longbog to be born he must first die before he's even alive. A wandering lost soul, capable of terrorizing by his appearance. Only that sadly existence of them was a tragedy once they had no more evil than a recently born child, harmless yet slaughtered by anyone who caught sight of them.

“Why're you telling me this? She always taught me and feed me. She's not bad! You're a liar, Collin!” In a rage, everyone does what they can't control, and in that case, she hurled a spell, not flame, but dark smoke who lurked around Collin suffocating him.

“M'line. It hurt Collin,” he struggled to say.  “Me see, me see crone doing bad thing to M'line. crone talked to Jurak... Jurak... bad, he hurt, he do much bad to all.”

She tried to focus, to think. The sky silenced the trees quieted. A pounding loud and close caught her attention. She glanced crone with the monster beside her.

“Collin, why, why she did it to me?” Through failing voice and sobs she released her friend.

“M'laine special,” he said grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her to run. “Collin hear, yes he did. Jurak need M'laine, he dead but not dead, like Collin. But he's bad, much, much bad.”

“But, what should I do?”

“M'line need flee. Need go away.”

“But the trees never left me to pass the borders.”

“Collin know, but Collin know way... Need hurry.”

She glanced back over the shoulder once more. Her heart squeezed seeing the shadow of the two far behind them. Crone raised her, and she knew nothing from the outside world. However, one thing was on her head. A shout of desperation to flee from that monster's touch no matter what.

  

* * *

 

 

“Run, Valiant, faster.” She rode astride on her draught mare. The drops bashed against her face as the wind fought as a wall pushing her back. The howling of wolves startled Valiant and her, both dashed through the darkness knowing nothing about the path ahead. She knew a small city named Lirstan was around the corners of the estate. She was there before for lessons, but she had company, and it was daytime. 

She laughed as the cry from the skies washed her own.  _'Always fight for your freedom.'_  Nana said to her once.  _'Do you believe if I tell you that I once was a raider on the Marean seas?'_  The images clear as if it was happening. She shook head in vain trying to put back to the behind of her mind the good, yet painful memories. Then she did the one thing no one ever had allowed her to do. She shouted so loud that the heavens heard her. And they shouted together in unison.

In the darkness and drenched to the bones, she shivered for the cold was taking his price. Her sight blurred for a bit when smoke caught her attention. Valiant galloped, as fast as the wind allowed. The sky shouts had vanished, the wind then settled down, and only the pouring sky remained. The woods ahead shuddered her to the core. The shivery only by the sight of those trees forced her hand to pull back the reins and keep distance.

“M'laine!” She heard a voice, and it was like a baby squealing. “Hurry, close now. M'laine need flee.”

She narrowed her eyes, attempting her ears for whatever could that be. The smoke followed a trail from screaming and cursing. The flames red as blood visible as she trotted down the path, never coming close to the trees as her head commanded.

“Collin!” She struck Valiant by instinct when she recognized a woman's voice. The mare rounded as she guided him to the voice's source nearing her. Valian became savage and hard to control when she recognized the screams were coming from the trees. Their branches moved by their own trying to grab something or someone. The flames blazed red again around the trunks.

“M'laine. Flee! Now!”

Her head commanded her, warned her to leave, to flee. The muscles so tense, they could play a song on them. But her heart told her to remain. Once Nana had asked her:  _'Why would you want to train as a boy and learn swordsmanship?'_  She thought for a moment then with firm gaze responded: _'To ensure I am not like my father. That I am not a monster.'_

_'Then, if you want to trail this road, learn this as I learned from an old friend. If your head tells you one thing, listen to your heart, there's where the true courage resides.'_

She dismounted saber in hands and eyes ahead. The cracking sounds of the trees and the flames were visible to her. A terrifying sight for her as she increased the grip on the handle. A girl, which she could only describe as a fairy tale princess persecuted by a hideous monster. Her heartbeat increased. The left foot ahead as she dashed in their direction.

“Die foul monster!” She shouted and as she pushed ahead was thrown back by a scream. “By the gods, what was this? Which bull trampled me?” She wobbled trying to regain proper foot.

“M'line ya fine?” 

“Yes, I'm, I just got scared. What is that?” She asked glancing at the girl who tried to recompose herself.

“Person, is person... you left bog.” He clapped hands.

Isabela shook her head, she glanced again the girl, naked, soaked, and talking to the creature. She approached with a rose eyebrow and tightening the grip on the handle.

“Foul monster, leave the lady alone.”

“Me no monster, Me Collin.”

She stepped back. Many tales she heard or read. But one thing she had since childhood, the sense to feel the evil on anything. The creature was disgusting to watch. But no traces of evil she felt, and besides, the girl seemed not worried about him on her side. 

“Collin, we need to flee,” She yelled when the pound behind them got louder. “No time to talk.”

“What's happening?” Isabela gave two steps back as the ground trembled. The trees screamed bleeding the ears.

“I don't know!” She shouted. “But I know we need to flee, now!”

“Collin can't go. Collin stays.”

“What? No, Collin no stays, you're my friend. I'll burn you if you stay.”

Collin gave a toothless laugh. Isabela tried to pay attention. Only that it was hard to look at him.

“Collin bound to bog. Collin must stay.”

“But you'll die if you stay.”

“Collin smart. Collin hide well.”

“But-”

“Madeline!” A shout echoed the woods. “How dare you to flee from your destiny! I raised you as my daughter! You shall obey me!

“Go, now flee,” Collin said to her then turned to Isabela. “Please take M'line. Help me friend.”

A lump formed in her throat hearing the plea from such creature. But one thing he was right. They had to flee. Whatever it was behind them was something so evil, that her legs had turned to jelly. Besides, she couldn't let a girl there, alone. She extended her hand.

“Come with me then. We must hurry.”

“But, Collin, you... You must promise you'll be alive, no matter what.”

“Collin survive. But don't back. Please, strange person, don't let M'line back.”

Before Isabela could give a proper answer, the trees parted. Collin gave a last glance at them as he hurried to the farthest trees shadowing himself on the roots.

“Please milady. We must hurry.”

“Right, let's hurry.”

“Wait.” Isabela grabbed her hand. “On my mare, we'll flee on her.”

“Mare?” She glanced cocking her head. “I never mounted anything, I only run with my foot.” 

Isabela shook her head. The time was ending when she mounted placing the girl in front of her, as when you teach a child.

“Run, valiant, faster than ever.” She struck the mare, which whinnied when vines caught her legs. “By the gods.”

“Madeline!” The Crone called. “Come back here, you ungrateful brat.”

“We need to do something about the vines.” As Isabela finished talking, she saw them in red fire. “You're a-”

“Stranger!” A shout froze the back of her spine. The voice itself crawled her throat causing pain only by hearing. “Know this, if you bring my bride back I shall allow thee to live. If thou not obey I shall hunt you down.”

Isabela breathed deep. She felt the life of her body vanished, little by little, drawn away. The sight blurred, and darkness surrounded her. For a moment, her hands moved the reins to the bog's direction. A shock startled her back to reality. She cursed the pain but saw the girl's hand on her thigh.

“What happened?”

“I'll explain another time. We need to run, now.”

“All right, Valiant, don't fail me now.”

The mare whinnied as galloping the faster as she ever had. Behind them, a shout, and trees and ground cracking as they brushed through the plains. A faint light illuminated ahead showing the road. Isabela saw the light coming from the girl's hands. She wanted to ask more questions, but at that time, only keep running was in their heads.

 


End file.
